Free-standing open shelving of the type which can be readily assembled and disassembled has been known for many years and has been offered to the market in a variety of specific forms. Examples are those shown in, among others, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,431,823, 3,636,893 and 3,831,533. As set forth in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,831,533, this shelving can be assembled in many specific arrangements according to the use desired of them. Further, this shelving can be and has been made from a variety of materials, particularly wood or plastics, and offered both to the inexpensive and to the premium-priced markets.
In assembling such shelving, it has often been desirable to include within such a shelf unit a closed cabinet for any one of many well recognized purposes. However, the means thus far devised for this purpose have either been undesirably expensive or have required preliminary modification in the shelving structure itself. These limitations have inhibited this type of product from achieving its full market potential.
Accordingly, the objects of the invention include:
1. To provide means for converting at least a selected portion of an open shelving construction into a closed cabinet.
2. To provide means, as aforesaid, which can be applied quickly and easily without the need for tools other than simple tools, if any.
3. To provide means, as aforesaid, by which the cabinet creating means can be applied to any selected portion of such shelving without preliminary modification thereof.
4. To provide means, as aforesaid, which will require only a few relatively small and simple special components whereby such cabinet may be provided at a minimum of expense.
5. To provide means, as aforesaid, which can be made of any material compatible with the basic shelving whereby same may be easily adapted to the low-cost market or to the premium-priced market as desired.
6. To provide means, as aforesaid, which will be strong and sturdy and capable of long life without repairs or adjustments.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with structures of this general type upon reading the following disclosure and upon inspection of the accompanying drawings.